Ingredients For A Happy Marriage

SOME IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS FOR A SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE

2 KINGS 4:8-25 8 One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. 9 She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. 10 Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” 11 One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. 12 He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood before him. 13 Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’” She replied, “I have a home among my own people.” 14 “What can be done for her?” Elisha asked. Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. 16 “About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.” “No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!” 17 But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her. 18 The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers. 19 He said to his father, “My head! My head!” His father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. 21 She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, then shut the door and went out. 22 She called her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return.” 23 “Why go to him today?” he asked. “It’s not the New Moon or the Sabbath.” “That’s all right,” she said. 24 She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead on; don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.

INTRODUCTION

Illustration: John 4:18 (You Have Had 5 Husbands) & 1 John 4:18 (There Is Fear In Love For Perfect Love Casts Out Fear. The History Of Valentine: "Valentinus was the name of a young man who lived in Rome during reign of Claudius II when Christians were being persecuted. Although he was not a Christian, he helped them, but he was caught and put into prison. In prison he became a believer in Jesus. Because of this, Valentinus was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs, stoned and finally beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate on February 14, 269. After his death, this gate was known as Porta Valentini. While he was in prison he sent messages to his friends saying, "Remember your Valentine!" and "I love you." So Valentine’s Day like Halloween has Christian beginnings, but the world has simply commercialized them like it is trying to do with Easter and Christmas as well. Valentine’s Day is intended to celebrate our love for our friends, spouses and families. Do you know that you are God’s Valentine every day?

The Bible Has A Lot Of Love Stories But This Passage Does Not Appear To Be One Of Them – But It Is: Song of Solomon 1:2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth – for your love is more delightful than wine. Song of Solomon 2:3 Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste. Song of Solomon 2:4 He brought me to the banqueting table, and his banner over me was love. Song of Solomon 4:5 Your two breasts are like two young twin deer which feed among the flowers. Song of Solomon 2:6 I can feel his left hand under my head and his right hand embraces me! Song of Solomon 2:2 Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the young women. Samson & Delilah, Adam & Eve, Isaac & Rebekah, David & Bathsheba, David & Abigail, Jacob & Rachel & Leah, Abraham & Sarah, Aquila & Priscilla, Ananias & Sapphira, Mary & Joseph, Zechariah & Elizabeth, Hosea & prostitute Gomer, Ahab & Jezebel, etc.